Castle Caravan & Camping Park

In the heart of the...

Brecon Beacons National Park ‘You are guaranteed a warm Welsh welcome at this multi award winning family run park...’ Practical Caravan

Pencelli Castle, the home of Gerwyn and Liz Rees and family, lies in the heart of the Beacons National Park, four miles to the East of the historic market town of Brecon. It is an ideal location for walking, cycling, mountain biking, pony trekking, canoeing on the adjoining canal as well as relaxing in the peace and tranquillity of this beautiful area. The Park is small and peacefully set on the edge of Pencelli Village and is within walking distance of the highest peaks of the Brecon Beacons. The Royal Oak Inn, 150m from the park, is convenient to eat and have a chat with the locals and there are also other Inns which serve beautiful food in nearby Talybont and . Pencelli Castle caters for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents (no seasonal pitches).

The pitches are set in three fields, The Orchard, The Oaks and The Meadow. The Orchard is suitable for caravans and motorhomes. It has gravel hard standings with several serviced pitches. The Oaks, with spacious grass and hard standing pitches, is suitable for caravans, motorhomes and tents. The Meadow is for tents only and is situated furthest away from the shower block. This field has a wonderful feel of space and freedom making it a favourite with campers. It is bordered on two sides by mature trees, one of which is thought to be the biggest and oldest oak tree in the parish. The Brecon & Monmouth Canal runs along the length of The Meadow where you can launch a canoe or watch the barges go by. What people say about us...

Practical Caravan Top 100 Family Parks - April 2006 This is a small rural site in a wonderfully peaceful setting, and with the high standards established mean that all visitors here will enjoy facilities seldom found elsewhere...

MMM - June 2005 The Award winning toilet/shower block is luxurious and spacious No sites guide to Britain can with central heating throughout. As well as ample toilets & free really omit Pencelli Castle. This showers, hand dryers and hair dryers, there are also private washing park has won every award in the book... And we think it’s the best cubicles. The two family rooms have been designed and equipped conventional park in the realm... through a parent’s eyes. There is a well equipped laundry, drying The Independent - August 2004 room, dish washing & food preparation room and information The toilet block at Pencelli Castle room complete with internet access. Wifi is available throughout was a pleasure to visit. It would have been a bit weird to eat off The Oaks and The Orchard. A children’s play park is situated the floor, but we could have outside the main caravan and camping fields adjoining the red deer done... enclosure. Within the children’s play area is a grassy area where AA - Campsite of the Year 2006 many football, rugby and cricket matches have been held. The This charming park offers peace, beautiful scenery and high ‘at-one with nature’ look and feel of the Park ensures it blends in quality facilities... Attention to totally with the surrounding countryside. There is an informative detail is superb... For the second time in four years this attractive nature trail which guides visitors all around the park, taking in the campsite in the heart of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, our red deer, koi carp, ducks Brecon Beacons has won this coveted award... and an ever increasing collection of vintage farm machinery.

Motor Caravan Magazine February 2006 If you’re heading to On Site Facilities make sure you stay at this • Luxury heated toilet & shower block award winning site... We all like • Dish washing room washrooms to be spick and span and this site has won the ‘Best • Laundry room & drying room Holiday Park in Wales’ at the Loo • Disabled facilities of the Year Awards for the fourth • Family rooms time... • Information room Which Motorcaravan • Serviced Pitches & hard standings February 2005 • Electric hook-ups In the centre of Britain’s most • Fridge/freezers beautiful region... Facilities are • Children’s play area comprehensive and absolutely • Mountain bike hire immaculate. This site has it all... • Internet station It has won every award known to man, and could very well be the • WiFi best site in Britain... • Shop (during summer) Local Activities Walking & Cycling on mountains or canal towpath (Quality bike hire available on site)

Pony Trekking - Cantref Riding Centre

Fishing on Talybont Reservoir, Canal or

Golf at Brecon (9 holes) or Cradoc (18 holes)

Sailing, Canoeing on

Indoor Climbing at Llangorse Rope Centre

Multi Activity Days

Brecon Leisure Centre Swimming, Ten-Pin Bowling

Within an Hour... Brecon Mountain Railway

Military & Natural History Museums

Big Pit Mining Museum, Blaenavon

Dan yr Ogof Showcaves

Ystradfellte Caves & Waterfalls

Llancaiach Fawr Manor

Aberglasney Gardens • 2006 & 02 AA - Best Campsite in Wales • 2006, 5, 3 & 2 Loo of the Year - National Winner Wales National Botanical Gardens • 2005 WTB Wales Tourism Awards - Winner Best Place to Stay (Caravan Park) • 2005, 04, 03 & 02 Practical Caravan Top 100 Family Park - Winner Wales • 2005, 04, 03, 02 & 01 Gold - David Bellamy Conservation Award Castles-Raglan, Caerphilly & Carreg Cennen • 2005 & 4 Wales In Bloom - Best Caravan Park Winner • 2003 WTB Wales Tourism Awards - Winner Best Place to Stay (Self-Catering) St Fagans Welsh Folk Museum • 2001 Calor Gas - Best Park in Wales Tariff The History of Pencelli Castle Closed from December 3rd to 30th All remains of this Norman Castle have long All prices are per night. A NON-REFUNDABLE deposit of £20 may gone. The Manor house which occupies the be required. Booking is advisable during mid and high seasons. site of the old chapel, St. Leonard’s, dates back to 1583 A.D. and is now the proud home The year is divided into three periods: of Gerwyn and Liz Rees and their two sons, Low 1st November to 31st March Craig and Morgan. The pitches lie inside and around the horse Mid April, May, September & October shoe shaped moat, which was utilised with High June, July, August; Bank Holidays & New Year the construction of the canal in 1790 A.D. The Oaks and The Meadow, which were Caravan or Motorhome Low Mid High probaby the scene of several bloody battles, 2 people sharing £15 £17 £18 are now surrounded by mature trees many of Extra Adult £6 £6 £6 which date back many centuries.The Orchard Extra Child (5-15 years) £4.50 £5 £5 is within where the castle walls stood and is Under 5 years Free Free Free obvious to see by the commanding plateau on Electric Hookup £3.25 £3.25 £3.25 which it stands. Full Awning £3 £3 £3 Porch Awning £2 £2 £2 Tents Adult £7.50 £8.50 £9 Child (5-15 years) £4.40 £5 £5 Under 5 years Free Free Free

The above picture depicts how Pencelli Castle would have looked in 1275 A.D. shortly after it was occupied by Gwladys Ddu, daughter of Llewelyn the Great, the last Welsh Prince of Wales. Since the castle was not built on top of a steep hill, it could easily be attacked and when gunpowder became widely used, the stronghold seemed undefendable. The Castle, first built around 1080 A.D. had changed hands many times by the 14th Century through conflict and ceased serving its purpose as a stronghold. It fell into disuse and the stone walls were dismantled to build houses and farm buildings in the area. Access to the Park is easy... From Brecon: Take the A40 East out of Brecon (Signposted Abergavenny). After 1 mile turn onto the attractive B4558 (Signposted Pencelli) and follow the brown caravan and tent signs. Go south for 2 miles until you reach the village of Pencelli. As you pass through the village Pencelli Castle is the last place and is signposted on the left.

From Abergavenny: Take A40 towards Brecon. 6 miles from Brecon turn left for Talybont On Usk. In the village, at the T junction, turn right. Pencelli Castle is the first place on the right in the next village, 2 miles. Gerwyn & Liz Rees

To Pencelli • Brecon • To Hay on Wye A470 & Hereford (A470) Wales • UK • LD3 7LX

Talgarth Telephone +44 (0)1874 665451 A470 Email [email protected] ACKM River Usk BL OU Brecon N T www.pencelli-castle.co.uk A I N

Llangorse Lake S A40 to West Wales Canal

PENCELLI

Talybont on Usk

A470 to CardiffB

R E B4558 C O N Abergavenny BE ACONS River Usk A465 Heads of the Valleys Canal

M5 Midlands Routes: From the South East, head for M4 west and drive to HEREFORD junction 24. Take A449 to Raglan and A40 to Brecon. From BRECON A465(T) the Midlands and the North head for M5 south to junction Ross A40 A40 8, then M50 and A40 to Brecon. From South Wales use the A40 PENCELLI A40 GLOUCESTER A470 to Brecon. Take exit signposted Abergavenny at the

ABERGAVENNY roundabout. Turn left at signpost to Llanfrynach and follow Raglan MERTHYR signs to Pencelli on B4558. TYDFIL M5 A470(T) Chepstow M4 M4 M4 Please Note: Assistance dogs only will be NEWPORT

BRIDGEND CARDIFF To Swindon allowed on the Park & London BRISTOL Closed: December 3rd to 30th